Would like a homebirth but classed as "high risk"...

[exBrightonBell]

I would very much like to have a home birth (currently 33wks with my first), but I am classed as high risk due to essential hypertension before I was pregnant. My bp is actually lower now than it usually is, and is under control. So, I was hoping to have a home birth, but my consultant has said that she cannot support this. I was wondering if there is anyone who was classed as high risk who has gone ahead with a home birth? And, if you did, was it difficult to arrange given that it was not supported by consultants/midwives?

My wife went through this with our second child. Her first birth had been difficult, resulting in a caesarian. She also had (has) two large fibroids, and it was not possible to say exactly how these would impede a future birth. When she became pregnant a second time, she was advised by her midwife and consultant that she must have the child in the hospital, despite her strong desire to have a home birth. Her midwife refused to support her, so we wrote to the local maternity unit, asking for the midwife to be changed, which they did. The new midwife, although still counselling that we should follow the consultant's advice, supported my wife's choice of having a home birth once she realised how obstinate she was!
As the time of the birth approached, we received a lot of support from the midwives, who did everything in their power to support my wife, even agreeing to a water birth. On the day, we had a wonderful experience. The midwives could not have been more helpful and supportive, though we had made a contingency plan to get my wife into hospital should anything go wrong. Thankfully everything went well, though a little slowly, and we had a very healthy (and large - 9lb 3oz) baby boy.
My advice is this: If you are absolutely sure that you want to go ahead with a home birth, having talked through and weighed up the risks, then insist on having a midwife who supports your choice. Agree on a plan for the event, with a backup plan if it is needed.

Pregnancy can make your blood pressure go down. However just wanted to say they should support you cos surely giving you the stress or going to hospital where you don't wanna give birth and the stress if actually getting there! Which is stressful! Would make your bp go up!

I had a similar issue when I was pg with DD2. I wanted a HB but on one occasion (having rushed up the hill to see the MW after a stressful morning with a whingey toddler) my BP was high. My BP was then fine after that, but they kept warning me that if it went up towards the end of pregnancy they wouldn't advise a HB. They monitored it closely during my labour but it was fine and I had a lovely homebirth.

I would discuss it with your MW and ask them precisely what the risk is if your BP has been fine since you got pregnant.

Good luck, I hope you get the birth you want.

Have you heard of AIMS? They give good advice on how to get your wishes respected